Akhil Akkineni, Shriya Bhupal to tie the knot in Italy?

The wedding will apparently be attended by around 600 guests, including several big names from the South Indian film industries.

In June this year, Akhil Akkineni admitted he was dating someone.Akhil Akkineni/Twitter

Here's some exciting news for fans of Akhil Akkineni. The actor, who is the younger son of South Indian star Nagarjuna, is reportedly set to marry his girlfriend, designer Shriya Bhupal, in early 2017. The couple is said to be planning a destination wedding likely to take place at a fancy venue in Rome, Italy.

"Italy is one destination that's on their minds as of now. A recce of sorts was done in Naples, but a fancy venue in Rome could also make the cut," a source close to Akhil told the Times of India.

Apparently, Akhil's parents, Amala and Nagarjuna, wanted the wedding to be a low-key affair, but the bride's family is keen on a grand celebration. The report further said that the wedding would be attended by around 600 guests, including several big names from the South Indian film industries.

Akhil has largely been keeping mum regarding his relationship with Bhupal. In June this year, the actor admitted he was dating someone, but denied rumours of his engagement, and refused to name the girl.

"You have heard that I am engaged? No, that is untrue. I am not yet engaged. All I've done is, introduced the girl that I'm seeing to my parents. That's all," he told the Indo Asian News Service (IANS), adding that the girl is a family friend. "I've known her for a long time. She is very far removed from the public glare. So until there is some major development in our relationship, I'd like to keep her away from the media for as long as I can."

On the professional front, Akhil will be seen in filmmaker Vikram Kumar's next project. Kumar has earlier directed Nagarjuna and Akhil in Manam, which was released in 2014.